Early 2000s - Ronald Katz, Stephen M. Ross' longtime accountant, first tells him about a new partnership eventually called RERI.

March 2002 - The RERI partnership paid $2.95 million to buy a stake known as a "remainder interest" in an industrial southern California property leased out for an AT&T data center.

August 2003 - RERI donated to the University of Michigan. The gift was earmarked to help fulfill Ross' $5-million pledge to pay for half the new construction costs of an academic center for student-athletes on campus.